THE TIME FOR REFRESHING

Acts 3:17-20

Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you --even Jesus.

Here is the sequence Peter gives us: repentance, a turn toward God, sin is forgiven and forgotten (wiped out) -- then a time of "refreshing" occurs. This same pattern was repeated every forty years or so throughout Israel's history. For example, the people turned away from God (idol worship, etc.); they then were oppressed and suffered at the hands of an enemy; they cried out and turned towards God and away from sin; God forgave them and raised up a leader; they were victorious over their oppressor; following the victory came the blessing (peace and prosperity) or the "refreshing" -- the living within God's will and intention for their lives. Unfortunately, about one generation later they were back to their evil ways.

How much like this are we? We are blessed, then we begin to ignore God and get caught up in the world -- things really start to go wrong, then we cry out to God -- repent -- and turn back to God. It's silly but that is the story of my life as well. I am so grateful that we have the God of second chances (third, fourth, fifth, sixth, etc. as well), because I seem to need a lot of them.

The question is: How do you stay constantly refreshed? In Exodus 16 the Israelites grumbled against God because they had no bread or meat to eat, so the Lord gave them manna and quail for their nourishment. Again in Exodus 17 they complained because they had no water to drink -- God brought forth water from a rock. Jesus, referring to this example of the Israelites total dependence on the Lord for their physical survival tells us in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never go thirsty."

It is Jesus who now provides us with this nourishment or refreshing. He is not only the "bread of life" He is also referred to as "The Word." We are refreshed when we spend time with Jesus -- in study of the Bible (The Word) and in prayer. When we drift off course and we become sick, depressed and angry, it's because we are not being fed the proper food.

Where does your nourishment come from? Does it come from television, magazines, friends, news media? Or does it come from Jesus? Who do you spend your time with? What can you do today to reverse that trend?

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